A tragic bus crash has taken place in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan that resulted in at least 40 deaths.
In addition, several others sustained injuries due to this incident, which is considered to be one of the worst road accidents in the country this year. This tragic event took place during the early hours of Friday as a passenger bus that was moving through the hilly region of Dana Sar area went out of control and fell into a deep ravine.
An inquiry has been initiated by the authorities to find out the cause behind this crash.
What Happened?
According to the reports from the provincial government, the bus that had been carrying passengers was moving from Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan Province, towards Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province when the unfortunate accident occurred in the hilly area of Dana Sar in the vicinity of the interprovincial border.
The driver lost control of the bus due to which the bus got out of the way and fell down into the gorge that is about 70-80 feet deep. The accident had damaged the bus severely and the passengers were trapped under the wreckage.
This unfortunate accident had occurred in the early hours of Friday.
Casualties and Injuries
As per official figures, 40 people have been killed in the accident, with eight others being injured and admitted to various hospitals in Zhob city. The rescuers were able to recover the bodies of the dead passengers from the gorge all morning long. Identification is still underway while the families wait outside the hospitals for information regarding their relatives.
It is worth noting that the number of fatalities could change during the course of the investigation.
Rescue Operation
Emergency rescue squads from Balochistan province and even the neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were called out instantly after reports of the accident came through.
The remoteness and rough terrain made the rescue operation extremely tough, resulting in the rescue people having to enter the gorge in order to recover the bodies and help the survivors. The wounded were evacuated to the hospitals in the districts through ambulances while the dead were identified first before being handed over to the families.
Possible Cause of the Crash
There has been no release by the authorities on the outcome of the investigation. Preliminary information indicates that the bus lost control before getting off the road, but there are other possible factors that the investigating team is looking at.
Road accidents in Balochistan often happen because of speeding, dangerous mountainous roads, overloading of vehicles, mechanical problems in the vehicle, and inadequate road infrastructure. At the same time, police officials are also investigating witness statements to establish whether there were other contributing reasons for the accident.
One of the survivors has reportedly told the investigating officers about a possible altercation between one of the passengers and the driver prior to the crash. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether or not the aforementioned incident had anything to do with the accident.
This is a developing story.
Sources: Al Jazeera, and The Express Tribune.
